With Garrett Richards out for the season, the Los Angeles Angels are kicking the tires on multiple veteran pitchers ahead of the waiver trade deadline Sunday.

Options include A.J. Burnett of the Philadelphia Phillies and Bartolo Colon of the New York Mets.

Richards was having the best season of any starting pitcher in the Angels' rotation. Jered Weaver, C.J. Wilson and Matt Shoemaker are in line to lead the team's playoff rotation, but the team is thin behind that threesome.

Colon, 12-10 with a 3.82 ERA, owns an $11 million salary for 2015 as part of a two-year, $20 million contract he signed with the Mets before the season, and Burnett can make $12 million in '15, but has discussed retirement. However, after a 12-strikeout, one-hit performance against Washington earlier in the week, Burnett sounded like he would reconsider.

"I guess you could say I've still got it when I do have it," Burnett said. "My decision will come down to how I feel and what my family and I decide. It's just one start, but to be able to go out and do that tonight makes you wonder."

Burnett was 0-6 with a 6.41 ERA in his previous seven starts.

DIAGNOSIS CONFIRMED

The right pectoral strain suffered by Detroit Tigers pitcher Anibal Sanchez was confirmed by Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday.

Sanchez was forced to leave his Aug. 8 start against the Toronto Blue Jays after 4 2/3 innings.

The Tigers hope to have Sanchez back before the season ends, although he did suffer a setback Monday while throwing.

"It depends how fast I heal," Sanchez recently told MLB.com. "It's nothing like they're going to say, 'All right, you're going to wait for two weeks or one week.' It's nothing like that. It's how fast does my body heal that area."

Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said there has been no discussion about Sanchez undergoing surgery.

On the season, Sanchez is 8-5 with a 3.46 earned-run average and 102 strikeouts in 21 starts.

MOLINA EYES RETURN

Yadier Molina could return to the St. Louis Cardinals lineup as early as Friday.

The catcher tore a ligament in his right thumb on a slide into third base on July 9 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Following surgery, his recovery period was estimated at eight to 12 weeks,

Cards manager Mike Matheny told MLB.com that a Friday return against the Chicago Cubs was "a possibility," depending on how Molina fares at a rehab assignment with double-A Springfield on Wednesday night where he is expected to catch five innings. If he feels good, he will be behind the plate again on Thursday.

Molina is hitting .287 with seven home runs and 30 RBIs in 83 games before landing on the disabled list.

MACHADO HAS SURGERY

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado underwent successful surgery for the partially torn ligament in his right knee.

Machado was injured earlier this month and placed on the disabled list Aug. 12 with a sprained knee after he fell in the batter's box.

Before the injury, Machado was on a hot streak with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 20 games in July and August.

For the season, he played in 82 games and had 12 homers and 32 RBIs with a .278 batting average.

MARINERS EXTEND GM

The uncertain future of Seattle Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik was a factor in his aggressive pursuits of offence at the trade deadline, and those moves have proven to be so successful that he was rewarded with a multi-year extension Tuesday night.

"Since Jack took over after the 2008 season, we have been building toward our ultimate goal, which is to win the World Series," new team president Kevin Mather said in a press release. "We believe, with the efforts of Jack and his staff, we are now well-positioned as an organization to be a contender for many years to come."

Zduriencik's legacy heading into the 2014 season included several botched signings and trades, resulting in players like Chone Figgins, Justin Smoak (for Cliff Lee) and Jesus Montero (for promising young starter Michael Pineda), as well as the rebuilding of one of the most talent-poor minor league systems in baseball.

The emergence of Zduriencik additions like starter Hisashi Iwakuma, left fielder Dustin Ackley and All-Star third baseman Kyle Seager has put a new spin on Zduriencik's tenure, while 2014 moves to add second baseman Robinson Cano and veteran pitcher Chris Young, as well as deadline acquisitions Austin Jackson, Kendrys Morales and Chris Denorfia, have worked out for the better.

BRIEFLY

The Seattle Mariners officially called up right-hander Erasmo Ramirez and optioned left-hander James Paxton to triple-A Tacoma ... Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen was optioned to the Gulf Coast League to make room for catcher Steve Clevenger, who was promoted from triple-A Norfolk ... The Chicago Cubs placed outfielders Justin Ruggiano (ankle) and Ryan Sweeney (hamstring) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled infielder Logan Watkins and Jorge Soler, who made his major league debut in right field.